


Sheltered

by RainbowArches



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: M/M, Obligatory cabin fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-27
Updated: 2015-03-27
Packaged: 2018-03-19 23:13:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 530
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3627837
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RainbowArches/pseuds/RainbowArches
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nick is trying to get Steve back into the world.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sheltered

“I don’t think this place is helping you.”

Steve rolled his head lazily to the side to look at Nick’s hunched figure sitting on the bed, lacing up his boots, and frowned. He thought this place was helping him a great deal. There was plenty of work to distract him and save for Nick’s occasional visits to check on him, he was left alone, which was what he wanted. Here, if he didn’t look too closely, nothing much had changed.

“Wasn’t that bad, was it?” he joked.

Nick turned his head to give him an unimpressed look.

 Steve linked his fingers together and tucked his hands under his head, dragging himself out of the sleepy fog to get serious. “What makes you think this place isn’t helping?”

Nick sighed and leaned back, bracing his weight on his hands. “I sent you here for some downtime. Get your head straight before getting back into the swing of things. But I think you got a little too comfortable.”

“I overstayed my welcome.”

“No, of course not. I want you to like it here. You’re welcome any time. But you can’t live here.”

Nick remembered the first couple of times he checked in to see how Steve was doing. Steve had been downcast, didn’t know what to do with himself, had no patience for company. Nick allowed him some space before checking in again. When he did, Steve seemed to have improved drastically. He was cheerful, he’d weeded the garden, dusted the place a bit, made dinner for the two of them, and played host so well that Nick forgot it was his cabin. It was a nice change, but not the one he was after. Steve wasn’t supposed to be hiding from the world; he was supposed to be preparing to get back into it.

“Why not?”

It wasn’t an honest question, but a wishful one. Nick answered it anyway.

“Because it wouldn’t fix anything; it wouldn’t help. In the long run, it’ll just make things worse. Everything you’re hiding from will find its way here eventually and you won’t be able to catch up. It’s a safe house, Steve, not a cradle.”

Steve sighed and swung himself up to sit next to Nick, clutching the sheet to his waist to cover himself. He stared resignedly at the floor. “I was fine in my ice cube in the ocean. You didn’t have to thaw me out.”

Nick gave him an odd smile. “See? That feeling won’t go away if you stay here. I can help you, but you have to come with me.”

His hand brushed against Steve’s, and Steve took it, linking their fingers together.

“Tell me what to do,” Steve said.

“Well, first thing I want you to do is learn how to use the tablet I got you.”

“I tried. I don’t like it.”

“You didn’t even take it out of the box!”

They burst out laughing, Steve feeling a mix of relief and fear and comfort, Nick feeling like they were finally getting somewhere. Steve squeezed his hand gently, and Nick squeezed back, before standing and pulling Steve up with him.

“Get dressed. It’s time to get started.”


End file.
